


BELIEVE

by fallendarknight86



Category: Glee
Genre: Drama & Romance, F/F, F/M, Faberry, Femslash, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-19
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2018-12-17 11:18:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11850480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallendarknight86/pseuds/fallendarknight86
Summary: Rachel is a successful singer on Broadway and is also in a happy and healthy relationship, living her dream life in NYC. What can turn her world upside down? Or maybe, who?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I had previously posted this fan fiction, but I chose to rewrite it based on some input I had received on the pace of Faberry interactions...

 

CHAPTER 1 

 

The sound of a pan hitting the floor resonated through the apartment, stirring the brunette beauty still lying under the thick duvet in the master bedroom. Her messy hair and some of her forehead peeked out from under it. Her arm reached for the other side of the bed, finding it empty but still warm, meaning the other occupant had just vacated it to probably make some breakfast. Rachel yawned, stirring slowly before slipping out of bed to pad barefoot towards the source of that noise. Her eyes still felt a bit drowsy from the sleep, but it was nothing that a good cup of coffee couldn’t solve.

 

As soon as she reached the open kitchen area, she leaned against the doorway and stared at the back of her lover’s head, who was flipping pancakes and humming to the music coming out of his iPhone, plugged in the dock station. She smiled at the sight and paced around the kitchen island, slipping her arms around his slim waist and dropping her forehead between his shoulders.

 

“Hey you, did I wake you up?” Jesse chuckled and stretched his neck, to place a gentle kiss against her forehead. “I still haven’t gotten used to your kitchen.”

 

“It’s fine. Tell me you started the coffee machine, though.” She mumbled against the fabric of his t-shirt.

 

“Of course, how could I expect to engage you in any conversation if caffeine is not in your system?” He handed her a fresh mug, chuckling at the way her posture changed. She stood straighter, eager to take the first sip. “Sometimes, I wonder if you could ever love me as much as you love that thing.” He pointed at her, with a hint of sadness in his voice.

 

“I am afraid coffee will always be my first love, but keep on being that cute and I’ll try and place you second.” She smiled and took a seat at the kitchen island. Her iPhone beeped with a few emails and texts, both from her manager and best friend. She replied to some and scrolled through the news, before Jesse joined her and placed a plate full of vegan pancakes, in front of her.

 

“There you go, star.” He reached for the newspaper, going straight to the politics section and failing to notice the pensive look on his girlfriend’s face, caused by the nickname that had slipped from his mouth.

 

Rachel stared down at her phone, her thumb itching to go back to her Facebook page and search for a familiar name. Search for a familiar face and eyes that still haunted her dreams.

 

**RQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQ**

 

_When Leroy woke up, that morning, he was surprised to find a moving truck in the driveway across from his. He had seen the “on sale” sign for a while and families had come and gone, visiting the property and asking the other residents information about the neighborhood. He still remembered the day he and Hiram decided to move back to Lima – his hometown – after getting their college degrees on the West Coast; they were just looking for a safe and peaceful neighborhood where to raise a family and grow old together. Lima had not always been open and warm to them, but they had managed to find good and private neighbors that welcomed them like any other family settling there._

_“What are you staring at, Lee?” Hiram kissed his shoulder with affection and took the mug from him, borrowing a sip before making a disgusted face at the taste of sugar free coffee. “I will never understand the appeal of black coffee.”_

_“Next month, we are celebrating 15 years together and you still don’t know how I like my coffee?” Leroy chuckled and grabbed another mug from the cupboard, pouring some fresh coffee in and adding three sugar cubes. “We have new neighbors, maybe you and Rachel could bake them some fresh cupcakes?”_

_“What’s the special occasion?” The short brunette came bouncing down the stairs, greeting her fathers with a kiss on the cheek before grabbing a fresh apple from the basket and taking a bite._

_“I was just informing your dad we have new neighbors, sweetie.” Leroy handed her a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and joined her at the kitchen table, opening his newspaper. “I am sure they’d appreciate a ‘welcome’ basket with your baked goodies.”_

_“I will work on that, soon after breakfast.” She smiled at him and looked at her other father, who was rummaging through the cupboards to ensure they had all the ingredients._

_“You have plans for the rest of the day, honey?” Hiram took a seat at the table, stroking the back of Leroy’s hand as he took a peak at the entertainment news on the back of the newspaper. “When is Finn going to come around for an official dinner? You have been dating the boy for almost a year, now.”_

_“I tried to set a date with you, but I think he is afraid of Daddy and his lawyer attitude.” Rachel took a sip from her glass and looked out of the window, catching the sight of a blonde haired girl walking down the new neighbors’ driveway towards the main door. “It looks like there is a girl in the new house; maybe we can invite them all for dinner?”_

_“That’s not a bad idea at all, baby girl.” Leroy stood up and grabbed his laptop bag, draping it over his shoulder before grabbing the jacket for his matching suit. “Don’t burn the house down, you two.” He kissed both their foreheads and headed towards the door._

_Once out, he threw a glance at the house across from his, trying to get few more information from afar. He saw a blonde man – probably around his age – instructing some movers to carry the heavy furniture inside the house, whilst a younger girl took some boxes marked with a black Q on their sides. The girl was not much older than Rachel and that relieved him. Maybe his daughter could find a new friend to bond with, that wasn’t Finn or some envious kid from the Glee club. With that thought, he slipped inside his Land Rover and drove off, towards his workplace._

 

**RQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQ**

 

Despite being at the top of her Broadway career and seeing her face all over the billboards in New York, Rachel wasn’t really one of those ‘party girls’ who liked clubbing and getting hammered until she forgot her name. She had a different notion of relax and fun. She’d rather stay home, curled on her couch with a musical playing on her TV, while nursing a good glass of wine or maybe having dinner in a nice restaurant, away from the crowd. Even when she met Jesse, she was lucky enough to find someone who would share her same passion for those kind of nights, despite his preference for gangster movies. But they could always compromise.

 

Tonight, though, she was dragged out of her cozy apartment to help her best friend in reviewing a newly opened night club, in the SoHo area. She couldn’t really say no. Tina had begged and pouted until she had given in, taking advantage of that invitation to catch up with her. In High School, she would have never imagined their friendship would blossom in such a strong way, but once in New York they had gotten to know each other and found they had more things in common, than Kurt or Mercedes ever had. Maybe it was because they hadn’t to compete for anything. Maybe it was because they really got each other, without needing to keep a score of who had helped whom. Maybe it was both. Truth been told, Tina had been everything she had ever wanted in a best friend and it was definitely a mutual thing.

 

“Rachel! Here!!” Tina stood in the middle of the club, having snatched a table close to the bar, but not near enough to get smothered by the customers getting in line for their drinks.

 

“Hey!” Rachel waved back, walking through the crowd and looking around. The club was definitely a step-up compared to what it used to be. Leather couches, glasses table, comfortable seats and elegant design elements were all over the walls. The staff also wore uniforms, compared to the usual outfits she was accustomed to see in these places.

 

“Glad you could make it. Feels like ages since the last time I saw you” Tina hugged her tightly and then plopped back in her seat, waving the waiter over to get another round of drinks. “Can we have another Martini Dry and a Vodka Lemon? Don’t hold back with the vodka.” She handed him her credit card for the payment.

 

“Very well ma’am. I will come back shortly with your drinks.” The waiter typed on his iPad and then walked back towards the counter, to proceed with the payment as the bartender mixed the drinks.

 

“It’s a nice place, how’s your review going so far?” Rachel settled in her seat, staring at her friend’s notepad sitting close by.

 

“Pretty well. This is a very classy place and the prices are not even that high. Great combo.” Tina looked through her notes, scribbling something else down as her eyes caught the expensive paintings on the walls behind the bar.

 

“Combo? Is that a technical word?” Rachel chuckled. Leaning back, she thanked the waiter for her drink and took a sip, coughing a little for the amount of alcohol in it. “That’s Vodka + Vodka, with a hint of lemon.”

 

“Oh hush, it’s not like you can’t handle some booze.” Tina pocketed her receipt and took a long sip from her own glass. “So, tell me about you. We haven’t had a chance to talk since your last Broadway opening. Any new shows on the way?”

 

“I have been auditioning some but I might take a small break from it.” Rachel smiled at the puzzlement on her friend’s face. “Universal wants me for my first album!”

 

“OH MY GOD! That’s amazing!” Tina leaned over the table, almost spilling their drinks, to hug her friend and squeal joyously in her ear, earning few glances from the other patrons of the bar. “Is that definite already? Have you closed a good deal?”

 

“Cassandra is working on that, you know her. She is a shark and that’s why I hired her.” Rachel chuckled and finished her drink, licking her moist lips.

 

“And what does Jesse say about that? Are things alright with you two?” Tina sat her own drink down, leaning forward to stare at her friend, whose smile had visibly faded at the mention of her boyfriend. “Did something happen with him? I swear if he hurt you, I will-“

 

“Calm down, tiger. He is fine, he is actually more than fine. He has been so patient with me and I can tell he’d like to move things further, but I am not sure about that.”

 

“Has that something to do with a blondie with hazel eyes and a charming smile?” Tina sighed gently, knowing that the aforementioned blonde was still a too vivid memory in her friend’s mind and, mostly, heart.

 

“It’s stupid, I know. I have had boyfriends since her, but I can’t shrug the thought that…I don’t know, that maybe she will drop on my doorstep and I won’t know what to do.” Rachel dropped her face in her palms, sighing in deeply.

 

“Maybe it won’t be on your doorstep, you know?” Tina’s eyes caught a familiar silhouette moving behind Rachel. A familiar blonde, who had visibly matured in the years, adding more appeal to her natural beauty.

 

“Why? What do you mean?” Rachel stared up at the other brunette, whose gaze was lost on something behind her shoulders. When she turned around to catch a glimpse herself, she felt her breath catching in her throat and her heart drop in her chest.

 

**RQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQ**

 

_When Leroy walked back into his house, later that evening, he was surprised to hear more and unknown voices coming from the living room, the scent of vanilla cupcakes was still lingering in the air, making him feel home like usual. He dropped his suitcase by the door and hung his jacket on the coat rack before joining his family and guests in the living room._

_“Dear, we didn’t hear you come in.” Hiram stood up to place a gentle kiss on his cheek, before turning towards their guest sitting on their ample couch. “These are the Fabray’s, our new neighbors.”_

_“Welcome to the neighborhood. I am Leroy Berry.” He extended his hand out, sighing in relief when the man around his same age took it, with no disdain nor anger in his grey eyes. He had met so many people in his life, who had judged him and his family for loving his husband._

_“Russell Fabray, it’s my pleasure. Thanks for inviting us over.” He smiled gratefully and then wrapped a strong arm around his wife’s shoulder, kissing her temple as she took his hand. “Judy and I had no time to run to the store and grab some groceries. We would have called some place for delivery, but we don’t know anyone.” He chuckled softly._

_“Oh don’t worry, Hiram and Rachel here know the best places in town. If they didn’t, we’d starve ourselves or end up burning the house down.” He nudged his husband’s arm with his, before turning to the still silent teenager standing beside her mother. “Oh gosh, is your daughter a model or something? She is very pretty.”_

_“Thank you, sir. You should see my elder sister, she is the model in our family.” The blonde switched glances between him and his own daughter, who was staring at her with rapture. “My name is Quinn, thank you again for having us over, sir.” She took his outstretched hand in hers, returning his grip with a strong one._

_“So polite too. You must be very proud of her.” Leroy turned back to Judy and Russell, who just nodded with a smile. “So, I gather you already ordered take out? Why don’t you girls take a tour upstairs, while your dad and I trade information with Russell and Judy?” He turned toward his daughter, who smiled and took Quinn’s hand, tugging her upstairs towards her room._

_As soon as the teens reached the brunette’s room, Quinn took her time in looking around. Even if she barely knew Rachel, she could tell the room was nothing but a great way to mirror Rachel’s bubbly personality and interests. She walked to the tall bookshelf on the far corner of the room, staring at the different pictures with interest. There were pictures of Rachel with her fathers. So many pictures of the three of them. Then, there were a couple of pictures with a tall boy, whose crooked smile made her want to roll eyes at him, and a group picture of a school club called “Glee”._

_“What is Glee? A music club?” Quinn examined the photo. She could see the happiness radiating off Rachel, as she held their Regional trophy high in her hands. But she couldn’t see the same enthusiasm in the other people surrounding her. The tall guy with the dopey smile looked bored and everyone else either looked away or stared at the back of Rachel’s head, with annoyance or envy._

_“Sort of. We don’t play any instruments, but we sing and dance and compete at Regional and National levels with the best school choirs from around the Country.” Rachel took the photo from her hands, pointing at the trophy in her hands. “We had just won Regionals and that had granted us access to Nationals, in New York. It was a special moment for us.”_

_“How did Nationals go? You must have been enthusiastic to go to New York, right? I mean, from what I can tell here, it’s your biggest dream?” Quinn pointed to the Broadway posters on the walls and the books in her bookshelf._

_“I was. I even got the chance to see where my favorite musical plays, but we didn’t win.” She sighed sadly and placed the picture back down, rubbing her hands together. “During our performance, Finn…well, he chose that moment to kiss me in front of the whole audience. We have a rocky relationship and we had broken up, again, so he thought I’d appreciate the romanticism behind his gesture.”_

_“Let me guess, he got the girl but you didn’t rank high?” Quinn stared back at the picture of the tall guy, assuming it was the tool Rachel had just mentioned. “So, you still took him back?” She pointed to the picture of the two of them, earning a small nod from the singer. “Maybe he has some hidden talent, after all.” She muttered to herself and walked to the brunette’s desk, picking the Barbra’s biography. “You know, my mom is a huge fan. She has all of her movies and albums. You will probably have a lot to talk about, I think she even met her once.”_

_“Oh my god, your mom met Barbra? That’s amazing. I must know everything about her. I am such a fan and I can’t wait to be on Broadway to make a duet with her or even work in a remake of Funny Girl. It’d be such an honor for me to be in Fanny’s shoes, after her.” Rachel took Quinn’s hand and dragged her back toward the door. “I need your mom to start telling me everything!”_

 

**RQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQ**

 

Rachel felt like passing out. Her eyes couldn’t help but follow the familiar blonde navigating through the club, talking to the staff and greeting the customers, leading them to their tables. Her palms were sweaty and her heart was thumping hard in her chest. She couldn’t believe at what she was witnessing with her own eyes. Was her mind tricking her? Was it some sort of a sign? Was the universe telling her something?

 

“Rachel? Tina?” Another familiar voice broke her out of her daze, making her lose sight of the blonde woman. Turning around, she found herself engulfed by none but Dave Karofsky. His arms pulled her tightly in, before a soft kiss was placed on her forehead, out of old habits. “What are you two doing here?”

 

“Funny, I was going to ask you that question.” Tina stood by Rachel’s side, hugging him briefly, as she nudged her still silent friend. “What brings you here?”

 

“I am a co-owner of this place. We just opened this place here, as a part of our plan to expand our chain to the East Coast. Next stop: Boston.” He turned towards Rachel, who was still trying to find Quinn with her curious eyes. “She is upstairs, first door on the left.” He whispered in her ear, pushing her towards the staircase that led to the staff area. He exchanged a short nod with the security team standing by the bottom of the stairs, who let Rachel pass without questioning her motives.

 

“This is going to be a mess; you know that?” Tina turned towards Dave, who sighed knowingly. “How has she been?”

 

“You know her, putting up a strong mask even if she is breaking inside. How has Rachel been doing?” Dave waved towards the bartender for a refill and sat in the recently vacated chair.

 

“Not good. Your best friend destroyed mine, you know that?” The brunette girl took a sip from her new drink, staring into the guy’s face who could only nod. “What’s her plan? Is she going to stick around or what?”

 

“I think she is here to stay. It was her idea to come here and we know why she chose New York, of all the places.” Dave leaned back in his chair, undoing his tie and running a hand through his perfect hair. “I hope she has stopped running away.”

 

“The two of us, Dave.”

 

**RQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQ**

_“Are you sure it’s okay for me to show up at this party, Rachel? I don’t want to impose. These are your friends and I don’t know anyone but you.” Quinn helped the girl out of her mother’s SUV and closed the door behind them, locking it with her remote. “If you want, I can just come pick you up when you’re done. So I know you will be home safe.”_

_“That’s very sweet of you, Quinn, but you really don’t need to worry. Knowing Noah, he probably invited half of the school at this party for the 4 th of July, so it’s not like I know these people either.” She grabbed the girl’s hand and led her up the driveway, not even bothering to knock. She pushed the door open and stumbled back, when a pair of football players passed by, already drunk on beer. _

_“Hey, watch it.” Quinn called out after the two boys, who just ignored her protests. The blonde rolled her eyes knowingly. She hated these gatherings. It was another chance for people to get drunk, lose their inhibitions and even get in bad situations. There were plenty of these things back in Boston. “Let’s find your friends, shall we?” She whispered loudly in the brunette’s ear, who held onto her hand and led their way through the sweaty teens dancing in the living room._

_“I see my friends!” Rachel bounced happily and pushed her way through the crowd, finally standing in front of some of her Glee friends. “Hi everyone. This is Quinn, my new neighbor. Quinn these are: Mercedes, Kurt, Tina, Brittany, Artie.” She pointed to each member and then turned around in search of a tall boy, who was still missing._

_“You are hot. Are you going to join the Cheerios?” Brittany asked her innocently, while playing with her hands. “Are you flexible enough? Can you do this?” She slipped one of her legs behind her head and smiled back at the other blonde, who raised her eyebrow in puzzlement wearing a clear ‘Are you fucking kidding me?’ look on her face._

_“Shit, Brittany. You shouldn’t be doing this in public, I told you.” An angry Latina pushed between Quinn and Rachel, straightening Brittany’s pose so that she could be sitting properly, before plopping down in her lap. “Who is this blonde bimbo? That’s why she is friends with you, Hobbit? Cause her IQ is lower than average?”_

_“Listen bitch, I don’t know who you think you are, but if you think you can insult Rachel or myself without any consequence, you have another thing coming.” Quinn stepped into the brunette’s face, who could only smirk when Rachel slipped between them, to stop her. “Let me go, Rach.”_

_“It’s no use, Quinn. Santana is a bitch to everyone, that’s how she deals with people who make her feel threatened.” The brunette rubbed her back gently and looked up into her hazel eyes. “Let’s get something to drink, I also need to find Finn.” She steered her towards the kitchen, making sure to keep a safe grip on the blonde girl, so that she wouldn’t try to slap some sense into Santana._

_“Girl is feisty and hot, wonder why she hangs out with that loser.” Santana muttered and leaned back into Brittany’s arms, who just sighed at her girlfriend’s attitude._

_It took all of Quinn’s willpower and Rachel’s warm hand to keep her from running back to Santana and punch her in the face or those fake boobs she had. Why didn’t anyone take a stand to defend Rachel? Was it so hard to be loyal to her? She really didn’t get it. She squeezed the smaller hand with her fingers, reminding herself that she had just met Rachel and that she wasn’t free. She was being a welcoming neighbor and friend, with no further motives. She couldn’t misinterpret her kindness for something, that was probably just in her head. She had just left a silly teenage drama behind herself, she couldn’t jump head first into another one. Not so soon. Not by risking to ruin her tentative friendship with Rachel._

_“Finn, there you are. I’ve been searching for you anywhere.” The moment Rachel caught sight of her boyfriend, she let Quinn’s hand go, failing to notice the look on the blonde’s face. “I want you to meet Quinn, my new neighbor and friend.” She side hugged the tall boy and leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss his slightly sweaty cheek._

_“Hey, what’s up?” He barely looked at the girl in his arms, but took his time to stare at her from head to toe. Quinn couldn’t help but roll her eyes at his attitude. She was aware of her own beauty, but she would have expected him to be more considerate of his girlfriend standing there._

_“Nothing is up. Having fun with your beer pong game?” She snorted at his dopey smile. Was he actually trying to charm her, with Rachel there? “Rach, what can I get you?” She moved toward the bar counter, ready to mix drinks herself when another boy popped out of nowhere, wearing even a worse smile on his face._

_“Sorry hottie, only the Puckzilla is allowed to mix drinks.” He leered at her, probably undressing her in his mind while leaning toward her. “I could make an exception, though. Wanna see my liquor collection in my bedroom? I will allow you to touch, whatever you want.”_

_“In your dreams, maybe.” She pushed him back and grabbed two beer bottles, uncapping them against the edge of the counter. She tried to walk back toward the oblivious brunette, when the guy stepped in front of her, trapping her against the counter. “You better move, if you want to be able to procreate.” She gritted between her teeth._

_“C’mon baby. Why are you playing so hard to get? I bet you and I could have so much fun, together. Do you like wine coolers?” He tried to place his hand on her cheek, but before being able to do that, he found himself on his knees holding onto his groin. “Fucking bitch!!” He groaned in pain, breathing hard and fighting the urge to throw up._

_“That will teach you a lesson. No means no, idiot.” She stepped over him and handed Rachel her beer, whilst Finn kneeled by his best friend assessing the damage. “Has that guy ever tried anything with you?” She looked at the brunette with concern, who shook her head and just watched Finn helping Puck up._

_“Are you crazy or something, new girl? You could have injured him. He is one of our best players.” Finn towered over her, trying to intimidate her with his height advantage, but she just wanted to ignore his bad smell of sweat and alcohol. How could Rachel stand that?_

_“Finn, right? If your best player had taken no as an answer, he wouldn’t be standing there, holding a pack of green peas against his groin and praying he doesn’t need a surgery for those blue balls.” She took a sip from her beer and looked around the room, feeling more eyes on her than what she had expected. “He was a jerk and got what he deserved.”_

_“It was a harmless joke, are you a carpet muncher or something?” He chuckled humorlessly and smirked at the approving cat whistles from the other guys._

_“Finn Hudson, I can’t believe you!” Rachel slammed the beer bottle on the table and pushed a finger against his chest, adding more space between him and the girl behind her. “Just because Quinn is not falling in bed with Noah, it doesn’t mean she likes girls and even if she did, that’s none of your business!” She crossed her arms over her chest and stared up at him, with annoyance._

_“C’mon Rach, she just came into town and you are taking her side over Puck’s or mine? She harmed your friend, doesn’t that count?” He tried to grab her hands with his, but she just stepped back. “Fine, act that way. Don’t come cry to me, when someone throws a slushie in your face, because you turned your back on me.” He grabbed his own drink and walked out of the room, putting an end to the whole argument._

_“I’ll go, call me when you are done? So I can come pick you up and give you a ride home.” Quinn squeezed her shoulder softly and slipped out of the back door, toward her car. What a welcome party…_


	2. CHAPTER 2

**CHAPTER 2**

Rachel stood in front of the wooden door, staring at the "Manager's Office" metal tag like it held all the secrets of the universe within itself. Was she really ready to open a door on her past? Maybe it'd be easier if she just ran the hell away from there, leaving Quinn and all those memories behind. New York was big enough for both of them. She nodded to herself and stepped back from the door, fully intended to get out of that place and never look back, when her eyes fell on the small tattoo inside her left wrist. A simple black flame inked on her skin. A symbol of their promise to each other.

She turned around and twisted the doorknob, slipping inside the office and closing the door with her own body pressed against it. She was mentally prepared to stare down at her ex, asking all the questions running through her mind, but there was no one to address those questions to. Defeated, she leaned back against the door, knowing she had lost her momentum.

"Rachel?" A familiar voice from her left, though, broke Rachel's stream of thoughts. Quinn was standing just mere feet away from her, wiping her hands on the front of her gray vest, looking as confused as she was, when she had spotted her downstairs.

"Hello, Quinn." Rachel stood straight, the door giving her enough strength to face the silent blonde, who was debating whether to approach her or stand at a safe distance, to avoid a slap.

"How? How are you?" Quinn took a step forward, slipping her hands in the front pockets of her trousers. The years had been even nicer to Rachel, who had grown into a gorgeous and sexy woman. She couldn't help but let her eyes linger along the length of her frame, appreciating the way the dress was hugging the brunette in the right places and highlighting her eyes and tanned skin.

"It's the first time you see me after 6 years and that's the first thing you want to ask me?" The brunette pushed herself off the door, closing the distance between them, to stand in front of the silent blonde.

"I am genuinely interested in your wellbeing, Rach." The blonde smiled lightly, almost eye to eye with the brunette, whose heels were helping in reducing their height difference. "You look so beautiful." She whispered the last words, mostly to herself, but she had been heard.

"You are incorrigible, Quinn Fabray!" Rachel threw her hands up in disappointment, turning around to take a seat on the blonde's couch and take a step back from her intense eyes and charming smile. It took her exactly five minutes to reduce her into the freshman girl, who got her heart broken by the blonde beauty in front of her. Five minutes and that smile, that she had fallen for the moment they had met.

"What did I even do? You are the one barging into my office, dropping in my life after so many years." Quinn sighed and undid the first buttons of her oxford shirt, breathing in deeply. She knew she wasn't totally right, but the brunette could be so stubborn too.

"Am I, really? Who decided to open a club just right here? This is my city, Quinn, and you know that, very well!" Rachel stood back up, staring up into the other girl's eyes, who were as fiery as she remembered.

"Oh right, I didn't know you were this city's Mayor now. Should I show you my license and all that shit, Mayor Berry?" The blonde went to walk around the petite singer, who just pushed her back, making her lean back into the desk behind her.

"Don't try and be a smartass with me, Quinn. It's not going to work." Rachel got into the blonde's face, almost sharing the same air, given their proximity.

"I don't recall that ever working, Rachel." Quinn rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest and looking away from the brunette's orbs. She was so close she could smell her perfume and body lotion. "How did you know you'd find me here? This area is staff only."

"Dave told me I'd find you here. You couldn't really expect me not to confront you, Quinn; I deserve answers." Rachel tilted the girl's chin toward hers, watching those intense eyes sadden under her scrutiny. "Why did you come here, of all the places, Quinn?"

"My business on the West Coast is going well, so I thought of bringing it here and no place is like New York. It's just business, Rachel." Quinn pulled away from her grip, standing up to grab a bottle of water from her mini fridge. She held it against her forehead, breathing slowly in and out.

"Bullshit." Rachel leaned against the desk, staring at the blonde's tense back.

"Excuse me?" Quinn turned around, bottle clenched in one hand.

"You heard me, loud and clear. It's bullshit. You know it, I know it. You could have gone to Boston or Miami or somewhere else, but you chose to come here because of us. Because of me." The brunette took one step after another toward the blonde.

"I see that these years have been boosting your self-confidence, huh?" Quinn chuckled humorlessly and took a sip from her bottle. Before she could take another sip, though, Rachel took it from her hand and placed it aside, pinning her against the wall behind her, with both hands against her shoulders.

"And you haven't stopped building these thick walls around you, when you feel backed up in a corner, huh?" Rachel's hands traveled down the length of her arms, gripping her wrists lightly and turning the right one towards her, to see the matching star inked on her paler skin.

"I am backed up, though." Quinn's forehead dropped against Rachel's head, bumping it softly as they both stared at the matching tattoos.

"We need to talk, Quinn. I am serious." Rachel's head turned enough to brush her temple against the tip of the blonde's nose, who nodded and just leaned forward, curling her fingers around the other girl's ones.

**RQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQ**

_When Quinn walked back in the party house, she acknowledged two things: alcohol consumption had gotten out of control, Rachel was nowhere in sight. The more she pushed her way through the inebriated teens, the harder she worried. She needed to find Rachel, before something bad happened. She knew pretty well what kind of things happened at these parties and she didn't want Rachel to become another statistic. When Tina had called her, she had mentioned something about another argument with Finn that had ended badly._

_"_ _Quinn, you are finally here." Tina stumbled into her, as another guy had pushed her into the blonde's arms. "I tried to keep an eye on Rachel, but I lost her."_

_"_ _It's okay, we will find her. Can you and someone else check downstairs? I will go upstairs into the bedrooms." She squeezed her shoulders softly and then ran up the staircase, hoping it wasn't too late. When Quinn got in the hallways, the scene before her was not pleasant. People were sleeping against the walls, passed out from alcohol and whichever substance they had taken. The bathrooms either reeked of sex or vomit, but still no Rachel to be found._

_"_ _Quinn, right?" A male voice caught her attention. Turning around, she saw a medium height guy, wearing a football shirt and Capri pants. "I think I saw where she could be, some Cheerio took her into that bedroom with a few guys." He walked ahead of her, trying the last door on the right but found it locked. "Stand back, I'll break it down." He started kicking the doorknob with his foot, feeling the lock loosen under his pressure._

_"_ _Rachel! Can you hear me?" Quinn shouted through the door, hoping that whomever was there with her was not taking advantage of her inebriated state. "If you touch her, asshole, I will rip you apart and then sue your ass." She slammed her fists on the door, before using her shoulder to help the other boy breaking through it._

_"_ _Stay behind." With one last kick, the door slammed open revealing a drunk Rachel with a group of girls taking pictures of her._

_"_ _Hey, you morons. What the hell are you doing?" She grabbed the girl's phones and smashed them into the ground before grabbing one from the front of her dress, slamming her into the nearest wall. "If I see one picture circulating around the school, I will make your lives miserable. You got me?" She let the frightened girl go and kicked the phone against a wall, smirking at the sound of the screen breaking for the impact._

_"_ _She is okay. She is just drunk and sleepy." The boy had grabbed a blanket to cover her up, reassuring the worried blonde. "Do you need help in carrying her back to your car?"_

_"_ _No, thank you. She weighs like a feather." Quinn slipped an arm behind the brunette's back and another below her knees, lifting her up in a bridal style. "I owe you a huge favor-"_

_"_ _Dave. I am Dave." He smiled and nodded softly. "Let's say it was time I did something back for her, after what I put her through with the slushies." He rubbed the back of his head._

_"_ _Slushies?" She raised an eyebrow in puzzlement, adjusting the brunette in her arms._

_"_ _You'll see. Catch you soon, Quinn." He let her out of the room and then stood back, watching the blonde walk out of the house with no other interruption._

_Getting Rachel to sit still in the car had been hard, but getting her out of the car without waking her parents up was going to be even harder. She knew that as soon as they had woken up, they would have questioned what had happened and probably grounded the brunette for drinking; so, she parked the car in her own driveway, thankful that her parents usually slept heavily and their room was very far from hers._

_"_ _Mmm, the fireworks…" Rachel muttered against her neck. Her nose brushed along the collar of Quinn's shirt, as her arms loosely wrapped around the girl's shoulders._

_"_ _You missed the show, star." Quinn managed to open their front door without putting the girl down or causing any suspect noise. She adjusted the petite girl in her arms and made her way up the stairs, towards her own room. Luckily, she had forgotten to shut the door behind, so she easily made her way inside toward the middle-sized bed. "You stay here. I need to lock the front door." Quinn laid the drunk girl in the middle of her bed, pulling the comforter up to her chin. "I will be right back."_

_She checked on her for the last time before making her way downstairs, to lock the door and grab a bottle of water along with some Advil. She quietly made her way back to her room and closed the door behind herself, trying not to disturb the brunette who had rolled on her side and snuggled into her pillow. Slipping her shoes off, she reached for the other pillow and another duvet, mentally encouraging herself that sleeping on the floor for a night wouldn't have been that bad after all._

_"_ _Mmhmh…" Rachel turned on her back, fighting to open her eyes. She was so sleepy. "Where am I?" She tried to sit up but a soft hand pushed her back down, taking a seat beside her. A sweet smell of vanilla overcame her, as nimble fingers ran through her hair in a soothing manner. God her head was killing her._

_"_ _You are at my place, I assumed it was safer for you to crash here than getting caught by your parents." Quinn whispered softly, never ceasing the movement of her fingers. "Can I get you anything? Some water?"_

_"_ _No…I'm…I'm cold." She muttered softly, tugging the covers more up to her chin._

_"_ _Let me get you another blanket." The blonde tried to stand up, but the brunette caught her wrist, effectively stopping her._

_"_ _You can sleep with me?" She whispered in a shy and tentative voice that made Quinn's heart flutter with tenderness. She didn't need to be told twice. She crawled over the brunette and lied beside her, under the thick duvet._

_"_ _Try and get more sleep, you need it." Quinn lied on her back, resting her head on Rachel's pillow. Suddenly, she felt tiredness overcoming her. Maybe it was the tension from the party. The concern over Rachel's wellbeing. The urge to repress the newly developed feelings for the girl sleeping in her bed, so close to her._

_Maybe it was just Lima._

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They hadn't moved from the office. The door was still closed but they had now moved onto the couch, with a bottle of whiskey in front of them, sitting on the coffee table. Rachel's shoes lied by the couch, feeling she didn't need to kill her own feet while she tried and clear the air with her ex. The blonde, on the other hand, was casually leaning against the other side of the couch, staring out of the window and sipping from her glass, probably lost in her own thoughts and ghosts from her past.

"Why didn't you return any of my calls? Or my texts? You said we'd be staying in touch." Rachel reached for her glass, taking a long sip and staring at the back of Quinn's head.

"I was in a very bad place, Rachel, and I had just moved across the country and away from the person I loved the most in my whole life. I would have never been able to stay away from you, if I had stayed in touch." Quinn sighed and turned to stare back at the other girl. "I would have just distracted you, from what really mattered for you."

"You mattered to me, Quinn. Hell, you were my world and you chose to leave me behind." Rachel's eyes moved from the blonde's face, not wanting to let her catch a glimpse of her moist eyes. "I trusted you not to leave me behind, but you just dropped me like I didn't matter, like you didn't need me anymore."

"Oh god no. That's not why I didn't reply anymore. I needed you. I needed you so bad, but after all those talks about you belonging here, to New York and Broadway, how could I be the reason you gave up on it? I hate myself for having let you go. I hate myself for having hurt you, but I would have hated myself even more, if I had taken you away from this. You belong here, Rachel." Quinn reached for the brunette's hand, but the other girl moved away from her.

"It wasn't your choice to make, Quinn. You didn't give me any choice. Who gave you that right to do so?" Rachel looked back at the blonde, with tears streaming down her face. "I could have had both, Quinn. I could have had you and this, I would have juggled. I would have found a way to be there for you and follow my dreams."

"How, Rachel? I moved across the freaking country, on a different time zone and so far that you'd have to invest all your money to buy expensive plane tickets. Do you think we would have just survived with Skype calls and phone calls? I didn't even fly back for the holidays. You know when did I go back to Lima? To sell my parents' house." Quinn finished her glass and poured herself another. "We would have ended up resenting each other, because of the distance. Then there would have been jealousy and who knows what else. We would have never survived that!"

"You don't know that! You didn't know what the future could behold for us and you didn't trust enough to even take that leap of faith! You just chose it was too hard and you'd rather drop me on my ass, than working with me and fighting for us." Rachel slammed the glass on the coffee table, cracking it. "You just cowardly took the easiest way out."

"Oh yes, I am a coward. I am a coward who would rather see you achieve your dreams without me, than resenting me for having taken you away from it. I am a coward because I didn't choose to go through a long-distance relationship, that would have ended up with you making a choice between us and your dreams." Quinn shook her head and turned to face the brunette. "There would have been a moment for you to choose, Rachel. I would have ended up asking you to choose to move across the Country to be with me. Pardon me, but I'd rather be a coward than getting resented for having taken you away from your dreams."

"Who asked you to make that choice? What if I had chosen you over New York? What if I had been ready to make that choice because you meant to me more than New York or Broadway? I could have pursued this career everywhere, but there was no one else like you for me, Quinn. When will you get that?" Rachel slipped her shoes on and grabbed her coat, heading for the door. "Maybe you should ask yourself if you had even been ready for me to choose you, after all." With that said, she slammed the door and left the office in a hurry.

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_Quinn was in her driveway, washing her mother's SUV when she saw Finn and Rachel walking out of the girl's door, holding hands and smiling at each other. The tall boy leaned down to peck her lips softly, before getting into his old truck and driving away, honking as he turned the corner. She couldn't help but shake her head at the guy, who kept on taking the brunette girl for granted, even if Rachel could deserve better. Better than a small town boy, whose biggest achievement was being the quarterback of a mediocre football team._

_"_ _Good morning, Quinn. How are you, today?" Rachel beamed at her, leaning against the mail box and watching the other girl soap the big car._

_"_ _Hey." Quinn returned her smile. "I am fine. You look happy, did you and Finn make up?" She nodded toward what she had witnessed just few minutes before, despite how infuriating that scene had been._

_"_ _Yes. He asked me to deliver an apology to you, as well, for the derogative slurs he used to define your sexual preferences." She perched herself on the white fence, watching the blonde rinse the car from the soap._

_"_ _Guess walking here and telling me on his own was too much effort?" She chuckled humorlessly, starting from the back of the car._

_"_ _He was just in a rush. He is helping his step dad with the tire shop and we kind of got lost track of time." Rachel looked away embarrassed, blushing._

_"_ _You definitely made up, big time." Quinn muttered, carefully rinsing the soap off the car's side windows. Once satisfied, she moved to the front of the car to get the white foam off the hood of the car and the window. "I hope you are taking care of the protections, because he doesn't seem like the kind of guy worrying about that."_

_"_ _We haven't done that, yet. Finn wants to take that step with me, but I am not sure." Rachel stared at Quinn, still blushing. "I know it sounds stupid, but I thought I'd wait after I had gotten my EGOT or after college, once my professional goals had been set. Plus, sometimes I feel like Finn just want to do it, without the proper setup. With no romanticism. With no atmosphere."_

_"_ _If you don't feel ready for that, then don't do it." Quinn turned the hose off and grabbed the towel, to rinse the car. "If I could turn back in time, I would have waited as well for someone that I really loved." She looked back at Rachel. "I know you love him, but you don't owe him anything. Your first time is something that should happen on your conditions, when you feel ready to take that step. Whether it's now or in 20 years. Is his first time as well?" She started rinsing the car, throwing glances at the girl from time to time._

_"_ _No. He actually told me he was still a virgin, but then I found out he had lost it…to Santana." She rubbed her hands together. "But he didn't mean to. We had a fallout and he did it with her."_

_"_ _How can you not mean to have sex with someone? Unless, Santana had sex with him without his consent, it's not like he fell in and out of her by mistake." Quinn raised her eyebrow in puzzlement. She was so right about this Finn guy being a huge tool._

_"_ _Must you be so crude? You don't know Finn. He means well. Plus, if I hadn't pushed him away, he wouldn't have let Santana lure him into her bed." Rachel stood up and crossed her arms over her chest._

_"_ _Just because you pushed him away, he could have resisted her, Rachel. There's always a moment, when you decide to do something or not to." Quinn slung the towel over her shoulder, leaning against the side of the car to stare back at the brunette. "And he probably felt guilty about that, because he knew he had done something he shouldn't have. That's why people lie."_

_"_ _You don't know him, Quinn. You don't know him the way I do, so why are you being so judgmental of what we have?" Rachel's voice raised, feeling the anger bubbling inside of her. She felt angry because of the hurt and the betrayal she had felt, when Finn had been called out on his lies. When he had told her, she had pushed him into Santana's arms. When he had blamed her for his lack of control._

_"_ _You are right, I don't know him and to be honest, I don't think I am missing anything here. He walks around like some stud, thinking he could charm any girl with his dopey smile. Did you even notice how his eyes wandered at the party? Do you see you are worshipping the ground he walks, when it should be the other way around?" Quinn threw the towel to the floor and took a step forward, getting into the other girl's face. "You are so much better than Finn Hudson, than Santana Lopez and this small town and you don't even know it. They spent years making you feel small and bad about yourself, that you ended up believing all of their lies and envious words." She was so close. She could feel the brunette's breath on her lips. She could almost taste her._

_"_ _Quinn…" Rachel could only blink silently and stare up at the other girl. Her hazel eyes had filled with a fire and passion that she had never seen in Finn's eyes, not even when they had just started dating. They were filled with affection, compassion and longing. Almost if they were filled with love. But how could it be possible? They had just met up. Quinn could have had anyone. Why was she staring at her in that way?_

_"_ _There's so much more than a high school romance with the most popular boy in the school." Quinn was tempted to close the remaining distance between them, finally placing her lips upon Rachel's. But she did not. She took a step back and breathed in deeply, needing to distance herself from the other girl. "Rachel, if you keep looking for that happy ending, you will never get it right." With that said, she retrieved the buckets and the towels, walking up the driveway towards the garage._

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When Rachel stirred awake, she found herself in her familiar living room. Her eyes were puffy for having cried herself to sleep and her throat ached. She had just collapsed on the couch, curled around herself with the Columbia lion mascot pressed against her chest. She didn't even remember falling asleep, but the stress and the exhaustion after that confrontation had probably worn her out.

"Hey, I didn't hear you come home." Jesse's soothing voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "I made you a cup of tea, here." He sat on the coffee table, handing her the fuming mug as he stared at her. "What happened that upset you so much?"

"I'd rather not talk about it." Her voice was hoarse. She took long sips from the mug, feeling her throat soothe as the warm liquid descended. "I didn't want to wake you up, so I collapsed here." She took another long sip and then, placed the mug down. "Aren't you running late for the matinée?"

"I can run in late, I am worried about you. I can stay home and we can just talk?" He reached to cup her face in his palm, but she just pulled away to stand up. "Where are you going?"

"I need to clear my mind." She walked into the bedroom, changing out of her dress in a pair of black leggings and t-shirt, under a zip-up hoodie. She sat on the bed to slip her running shoes on, ignoring the worried look on her boyfriend's face.

"Why do you put these walls up around you? I am not trying to be noisy. I just want to understand." Jesse stood in the doorway, blocking her from leaving the bedroom.

"What's there to understand? I had a rough evening and now, I need to have a run. Simple as that." She slipped under his outstretched arm, grabbing a baseball cap to go along with that outfit.

"Right, so I shouldn't even ask why my girlfriend comes home from a night out with friends to cry herself to sleep? Did someone hurt you? I can-"

"I am okay. Stop worrying." She leaned up to kiss his cheek and walked through the door, making sure to have her phone and wallet inside her pockets.

"Since when are you a fan of Columbia University? I thought you had attended NYADA." His words stopped her on the doorway. She quickly looked down at her upper clothes, taking note of the Columbia brand all over her hoodie and t-shirt, and then slammed the door behind herself.

 

**comments are more than welcome**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: comments are more than welcome**

 

_What happened in Quinn’s driveway was still lingering in her mind. She hadn’t been able to shrug her words off, nor the way she was staring at her. Her hazel eyes could be so intense that Rachel had often found herself gulping an imaginary lump down her throat, not knowing how to deal with them. Quinn was a pretty girl, probably the prettiest girl she had ever seen, but the way she looked at her made her feel so beautiful. Finn had never looked at her that way; she had always felt so insecure about her looks when girls like Santana or Brittany wandered around the school, in their perfect Cheerio uniforms and bodies._

_With that thought in her mind, she entered the school on the first day of her Senior Year. Finn hadn’t been able to drive her, because of Football and she hadn’t asked Quinn, because they were still not on speaking terms. She walked toward her locker, sighing at the thought of another year of slushies and being treated like an underdog, even by her own boyfriend. Was he even worthy? Things with Finn hadn’t been rocky, but not as pleasant either. They had made up, yes, and he had hinted multiple times about wanting to go further with her, but something in her gut told her she wasn’t ready for that. Not yet._

_She was standing by her locker, staring at the cat calendar she had made for Finn – he had never reclaimed that back, after their last break up – when the students started whispering, with eyes lingering on the main entrance. Curiosity got the best of her, so she turned towards the main door only to see a familiar blonde strut down the hallways, sporting a brand new look. She had seen some of Quinn’s wardrobe, but she had never thought she’d be able to make leather look so appealing – despite her beliefs against animal products._

_“Wow, new girl is hot.” Santana and Brittany joined her side, with their pinkies linked, as they all witnessed Quinn parting the crowd with easiness. Her blonde hair had been shortened and styled in a wilder mane, aided by the use of a bandana that kept it high, her t-shirts had been replaced by a sleeveless and ripped one, under a leather vest. Both barely reached her midriff, allowing her to show off her toned abs. Everything was completed by dark fitting jeans and motorcycle boots, that probably had seen better days._

_“Rachel. Girls.” Quinn nodded toward the trio, before finding her locker. She opened It effortlessly, throwing some of her stuff inside and gathering some of her new books. Quickly, she scanned her schedule before slamming the locker shut, only to find a couple of jocks waiting on her, with two cups in their hands. “Gentlemen, what can I do for you?” She leaned against her locker, not even bothering to look concerned over the impending attack._

_“Shut up, lesbro. We have a welcome gift from Puckerman.” They snickered toward the blonde, ready to throw their slushies at her, when someone behind her caught their eyes. Their hands froze midair, shaking with some fear and letting some of the sticky liquid drip on the floor, not on Quinn’s boots._

_“Are they giving you any trouble, Quinn?” Dave hovered behind the blonde, who shook her head and grabbed one of the offered cups, taking a gulp._

_“Grape, my favorite. Please send my fuck you to your friend.” She turned around to see her new friend – and protector – offering him a sip of her cold beverage, that he turned down politely. “Do you know where AP Chemistry is? I wouldn’t want to get lost on the first day of school.”_

_“C’mon, I’ll walk you there.” He nodded toward the hallway on their left, silently asking her to follow him. The blonde threw the cup into the nearest trashcan and fell in step with him, starting a conversation about the last basketball game._

_“Alright, when did the giant and the new girl become best buddies? Are they dating or something?” Santana turned toward Rachel, who was still staring at Quinn’s locker, with a puzzled look. “Earth to Berry. Berry!” She shouted in the girl’s face, who jumped at the abrupt sound and stared at the Latina with a frown._

_“I don’t know Santana, I haven’t actually spoken to Quinn in a week or so.” She slammed the locker door closed and held her books against her chest._

_“How comes? Troubles in paradise?” She snickered, before Brittany nudged her in the stomach._

_“Why should that expression fit our situation? Quinn and I are just friends. I am with Finn and there are no troubles on the horizon for us, even if you’d like that very much don’t you?” She started walking toward her first class, ignoring the knowing look on the Head Cheerleader’s face._

 

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Whenever she needed to clear her mind, her feet somehow took her to Central Park. She had always loved running, but jogging surrounded by the City was something totally different. It gave her perspective and it calmed her enough to see things for the way they were. It only took her 24 hours to have her life turn upside down. Only 24hours and a familiar blonde popping back from the past. She was living a simple and apparently happy life. She had found her balance between her professional achievements and her steady relationship with Jesse, who matched her but did not challenge her. Her once co-star and now boyfriend supported her and knew how to stand by her side, having his own piece of fame to deal with, and she was fine with that.

 

Or, at least, so she thought.

 

Standing in the middle of the jogging track, she slipped her iPhone out of her arm band just to check her texts and missed calls. She found two from Cassandra and few texts from both Tina and Jesse, asking to get back to them as soon as she could. Sighing she stood straighter, thinking of what to reply and which one to answer first, when a random guy came out of nowhere and grabbed the phone from her hand, running away with it.

 

“Too slow, bitch!” He yelled after her, speeding away and pushing through the joggers to escape.

 

“Get back here, asshole!!” Rachel took after the random guy. She didn’t even know why she was chasing after the thief. She knew better than taking charge of these situations on her own. Her Daddies had always warned her that material possessions, such as wallets or phones, were not even worthy of endangering her own life. In that moment, though, she was not caring nor thinking about that advice.

 

She kept on running after the guy, not letting him get out of her sight. She saw him turn toward the South entrance of the park, cutting through the trees and jumping over people sleeping and just enjoying the sun, when someone tackled him onto the ground. A familiar blonde haired woman was rolling around with the thief, throwing some good solid punches and avoiding the guy who was fighting back, before finally getting the upper hand and pinning him face first into the grass, with his hands behind his back.

 

“Quinn?!” Rachel stood few feet from them, unable to tear her eyes off the blonde who had the guy pinned to the grass, with a small crowd gathering around her.

 

“Hey star.” Quinn said out of habit. She smiled up at the brunette, sitting on the guy’s back who was still trying to get away from her iron grip. “Down boy, you’re gonna get taken care of.” She looked around, relieved that two cops were finally jogging their way, having been alerted about the situation. The blonde girl pushed back, releasing the guy as the cops took him in custody, taking him away from the scene. “Is this yours?” Quinn walked to the stunned brunette, handing her the iPhone.

 

“You are such an idiot, Quinn Fabray!” Rachel hit the blonde upside her head. She kept on hitting her arms and chest, making the blonde back a few steps and covering herself with her own arms.

 

“Ouch, woman. A thank you would have been more than enough.” She grabbed the brunette’s wandering hands, pinning them to side as she took her into her arms, to block her attacks.

 

“You could have gotten hurt. What’s wrong with you?” Rachel tried to escape that grip, but she just stood there, unable to stare up into those familiar eyes.

 

“I can take care of myself, star.” Quinn released her arms, taking her hands in her own and checking her knuckles. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?” She looked up and down the brunette’s body, hoping not to find any bruise or cut, or she’d have to run after the guy to teach him a better lesson.

 

“No he didn’t. But he hurt you.” The brunette reached up, brushing her fingertips over the light purple bruise below the blonde’s eye. “Does it hurt?” The pad of her thumb grazed the swollen cheek, making the taller girl flinch lightly.

 

“Nothing that some ice can’t fix.” Quinn smiled, closing her eyes at the feeling of Rachel’s fingers brush over her sensitive skin. “Do you want to join me for breakfast? My treat.”

 

“Only because you came to my rescue, but it’s my treat.” Rachel nodded and took the blonde by the hand, leading her towards the closest Starbucks.

 

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_When Quinn walked back inside her room, she was surprised to find Rachel waiting for her, sitting at her desk and browsing through her music collection. The blonde slammed the door shut and dropped the bag onto the floor, announcing her presence._

_“Quinn, you scared me!” Rachel turned around on her desk chair, holding a hand over her chest._

_“Last time I checked, this was my room. So, shouldn’t I be the one scared to find an intruder going through my stuff?” Quinn sat at the edge of her bed, taking her combat boots off, along with her socks. She loved those shoes, but freeing her feet from them was equally enjoyable._

_“An intruder? I thought we were past that, has your boyfriend brainwashed you about losers like me?” Rachel scoffed and grabbed her bag, ready to perform a storm out._

_“Keep Dave out of this. If it hadn’t been for him, you would have started your last year being laughed about, and not even your precious Finn would have been able to do anything about it. But it’s not like he cares about protecting you.” It was Quinn’s turn to scoff._

_“What’s that supposed to mean, now? Why are you so angry at Finn? You don’t know him!” Rachel got into the blonde’s face, who had still a small height advantage on her._

_“And like I told you weeks ago, I don’t care about knowing him.” Quinn took a step back and crossed her arms over her chest. “Look, Rachel, why are you even here? I am tired and I need to work on my homework. So, just go.”_

_“I wanted to talk to you, Quinn. I thought we were friends but I don’t know what made you change your mind about it. Guess you are not any different from those pretty girls at McKinley who think too high of themselves.” Rachel went to walk to the door and open it, when a hand stopped her from going._

_“Do you really think I am that shallow? Geez, Rachel, you are so quick to jump my throat for having befriended Dave, but you don’t see the flaws in the guy standing beside you? The same guy who left you alone at a party, when anything could have happened to you? He left you alone and do you know who brought you home? Do you even remember who freaking saved you before something bad or even worse happened to you?” Quinn slammed her fist against the door, looking down into Rachel’s shocked face. “I DID! I fucking did it but I didn’t even deserve a thank you, because you were so focused on making up with some guy who just wants to get into your pants!” Quinn pulled back, afraid of making a mistakes because of the closeness and the lack of space between them. Rachel had the power to make her lose control and she loved and hated it at the same time. “You should go, Rachel. I don’t have anything else to say.”_

_“Quinn, I didn’t know…if I had known…” Rachel tried to step closer to the blonde, who crossed her arms over her chest and looked away from her._

_“Nothing would have changed, Rachel. I am not that naïve to expect anything to change, because Finn is never going to do anything wrong in your eyes.” Quinn chuckled sadly, wiping the corner of her eyes._

_“Quinn…” Rachel tried again, only to see the other girl turn around and sit at her desk, with her back turned to her._

_“Just go, Rachel.” Quinn whispered one last time, before putting earplugs in her ears and numbing herself with the sound of her favorite playlist. Rachel could only turn on her heels and walk out of the door, with million thoughts running through her head._

 

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They had found a nice and private table by the window, in the back of the coffee shop, so they could still take a peek at the world outside when the elephant in the room became too big to handle. Quinn had an icepack pressed against her cheekbone, flinching from both the coldness and the ache caused by the punch she had received; Rachel, on the other hand, had just sat a tray with two mugs of hot coffee – vegan caramel Frappuccino for herself – and a vegan blueberry muffin, big enough for them to share. Sitting back against the back of the chair, she couldn’t help but take into Quinn’s more mature facial features: starting from the eyes that had visibly hardened and saddened, to the tight smile and the small wrinkles each side of her lips. She was more mature and aware of herself, but also had lost the carefreeness of her young years.

 

“Is it the first time you got mugged?” Quinn broke the silence and interrupted her train of thoughts. “I sincerely hope so, but if it ever occurred again, please do not run after them. He could have hurt you or done worse.”

 

“I know how to behave in these situations, Quinn. My daddies gave me a long speech about the dangers of living in a city like New York.” Rachel huffed in protest and crossed her arms over her chest, pouting lightly.

 

“Yet, you chose to chase the guy through Central Park? You sure you got the speech right?” Quinn chuckled and took a bite from the muffin, licking her fingertips. “This vegan muffin tastes as good as the true one.”

 

“I was perfectly fine before you stepped in, to play the hero. I could ask you the same, since you tackled him on the ground and were lucky enough to get away just with the bruise. He could have stabbed you or-“

 

“I know how to defend myself. Dave gave me self-defense lessons, even if I never practice them when he’s around. He is such a papa bear.” The blonde drank her coffee and put the icepack down, touching her bruise to assess the damage. “Oh well, guess the magazine shots must wait a couple of weeks.”

 

“He worries about your safety and he is right about that. You have a thing for troubles, Quinn.” Rachel grabbed the pack and pressed it back against the swollen cheek, rolling her eyes at the blonde flinching away from her. “What magazine shots?”

 

“The NY Times is writing an article about our club and they want to interview us, but you know Dave…” Quinn shrugged softly and covered the brunette’s hand with her own, keeping them against her cheek. “So, I am going to pose for a few pictures and release the interview. I think Tina is writing the article, to be honest.”

 

“She is doing great with her job, so it doesn’t surprise me that she is behind the article. I’ll tell her to get your shots from the left or just get a good make-up artist.” Rachel smiled and brushed the pad of her thumb below the blonde’s eye, watching her close it in return. “You have changed…”

 

“Life does that to you.” Quinn smiled sadly and lowered both their hands, lacing her fingers with the brunette’s ones. “The years have been great to you, but I was pretty confident over that.”

 

“Always the smooth talker huh?” Rachel pulled her hand back and folded them in her lap, unable to keep on staring in Quinn’s deep eyes without losing herself into them and the memories of their life together.

 

“Does he make you happy?” Quinn’s question was almost a whisper, but weighed like a tons of bricks dumped on her heart.

 

“You can’t ask me that, Quinn. It’s not fair.” Rachel looked back at the blonde, who wore a sad smile, already getting the answer she probably expected but still didn’t hope for.

 

“I am happy if you are happy. Rachel. He looks like a good guy, compared to your previous love interests.” It was the blonde’s turn to stare out of the window, eyes scanning the skylight in the distance. “He could have been a giant moron like Finn or…”

 

“Or could break my heart in thousand pieces like you did?” Rachel chuckled humorlessly, emptying her cup of coffee in one gulp.

 

“Or that, yes.” Quinn stared back at her ex, who wore an unreadable expression. “I don’t know if I ever apologized for having hurt you so bad, Rachel.”

 

“No you never did that. You just dropped out of my life, as if I never mattered to you.” Rachel went to retrieve her purse, ready to bolt out of there.

 

“You mattered to me, God Rach you were the only thing that mattered to me, and I am sorry for having hurt you so bad and for being a coward.” Quinn stood up, blocking the brunette from leaving. “I am really sorry, star.” She looked down into those chocolate eyes, filled with unshed tears.

 

“Please, stop calling me that.” Rachel looked away, gripping her purse very tightly.

 

“You are a star. I was right about that, all along.” Quinn dropped a soft kiss against the top of her head, feeling the brunette relax against her touch.

 

“I have to go. My show and…” Rachel was resisting so bad the need to fall into those familiar arms, with her face pressed against her strong chest to hear her steady heartbeat quicken for her, like she used to whenever she needed to feel ‘home’. Quinn had always been home.

 

“I know; I won’t keep you any longer. Thanks for breakfast.” The blonde took a step back and squeezed her hand gently, before taking her seat back to move out of Rachel’s way. The brunette nodded quickly and walked out of the store, without looking back but very much aware that the blonde’s eyes were still on her until she disappeared from her sight.

 

**RQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQ**

 

_Rachel was confused. Being casted as Maria for West Side Story had been one of her dreams, of course she had thought it’d happen on Broadway and not in Lima, as a school play. She thought she was ready for that, but apparently, she was lacking something. Something that she couldn’t achieve unless she took that step with her boyfriend. Unless she fully explored her sexuality._

_But was a school play role even worth it of rushing into something she wasn’t ready for? She had so many doubts and questions about it. She knew she was one of the last few girls of her year to have kept her virginity intact, but she had always wanted to wait. Wait for the right moment. After all of her accomplishments. What if she wanted to wait to be 25 years old because she didn’t trust her partner with something as important as her virginity? What if she wanted this to happen on her terms and not on Artie’s or Finn’s ones?_

_She didn’t know what to do. Talking with the other girls from Glee had not helped. Talking with Finn wouldn’t have helped, knowing his eagerness and desire to take that step with her. What to do? Who to talk to? Her Dads were out of question. Quinn? If only things hadn’t been so awkward between them._

_“Rachel, dear, are you okay?” Judy Fabray was working in her roses, when she had caught sight of Rachel mumbling to herself on her way home._

_“Mrs. Fabray, how are you doing?” Rachel crossed the street and stood on the other side of the white fence, staring at the blossoming roses. “These look amazing. I wish my Daddies put some roses around our house, as well.”_

_“I could always teach you, dear. My Quinn is not one for gardening, she would rather get her hands dirty with car engines.” The older woman took her gloves off and wiped her hands on the front of her worn out shirt. “You look shaken, is everything okay?”_

_“May I be extremely blunt, Mrs. Fabray?” Rachel fidgeted with her hands. “When do you know it is the right moment to become intimate with someone?” She blushed, asking that question and blurting it out like that._

_“I think this conversation requires a hot cup of tea, honey.” Judy took the brunette inside, wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders._

_Fifteen minutes later, Rachel and Judy sat in her kitchen sipping tea from their mugs. The older woman placed her cup down and took the brunette’s free hand in her own, trying to convey some comfort through that small gesture. “Dear, didn’t your parents give you the sex talk when you started dating that boy?”_

_“They did. Daddy actually wanted to have a talk with Finn, but Dad and I persuaded not to. He would have ended up intimidating him, he is one of the best lawyers in town for that same reason.” Rachel chuckled and sat her mug down. “My Dads put me on the pill and provided me with the right amount of protection, but that’s all. We never explored the feelings behind the act of being intimate with someone.”_

_“Well, I must ask this. Do you feel ready to do this, Rachel? I don’t know if it is this boy’s first time or not, but it shouldn’t affect your choice. It is your first time and you should do it, only if you want and feel ready for it.” Judy squeezed her hand softly._

_“We’ve been together, with some troubles, for the past two years. I think it’s time we take that step together; I should not make him wait any longer.” Rachel muttered softly._

_“Rachel, look at me.” Judy cupped the girl’s face with her palm. “You don’t owe him anything. If you don’t feel ready and he loves you the way he is supposed to, he will respect your choice and wait for you even twenty years. Time is not a critical factor, honey. Russell and I had been dating for about 3 months when we took that step together. I just knew that it was the right choice. That he was right for me and that I trusted his love for me.” She smiled and dropped her hand back over Rachel’s one. “Before Russell, I was with two other boys and one was my high school sweetheart. We stayed together for more than 3 years, but I knew that I wasn’t ready to do it with him. So believe me when I say that time is not relevant, Rachel.”_

_“But I don’t want to hurt him. He has been so patient with me, already.” Rachel whispered, thinking of the disappointment Finn would feel upon hearing another no from her._

_“And if he loves you, it won’t matter to him. If your hesitance and desire to wait hurt him, then he is not the guy you are portraying him to be, Rachel.” Judy squeezed her hand one more time. “Talk to him, maybe he shares your same fears and uncertainties.” She stood up kissing her temple, hearing the sound of keys being placed in the lock and door opening._

_“Honey, I’m home.” Russell walked into the kitchen, surprised to find their neighbors’ daughter sitting there. “Hello Rachel, how are you doing?” He squeezed her shoulder softly, before greeting his wife with a soft kiss. “Do you want to stay for dinner, dear?” He tried to sneak a tomato out of the salad, but Judy slapped his hand away._

_“Russell Fabray, go wash your hands!” She pointed to the sink and crossed her arms over her chest, with an amused smile. “Men. They are such cavemen when it comes to food.”_

_“You see Rachel? That’s what you get after 20 years of marriage.” He stuck her tongue out at his wife, who grabbed the kitchen apron and threw it at his face. Rachel couldn’t help but smile at that interaction, like what her parents still do in her own house. But when she tried to picture Finn and herself in that predicament, she failed to see the resemblance and the same harmony. Maybe it was a sign, after all…_


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

 

The photoshoot was just ending and she was so glad for it. She loathed standing in front of a camera, smiling and posing like a domesticated monkey while a bunch of strangers told her how to look like or stopped her to fix a rebellious strand of hair. She was holding on, only to do Tina a favor, since she was the pen behind the article that was going to also bring more people to their club. It was not just a shallow photoshoot, after all.

 

“Ok, princess. Hands on the bar counter and look at me, with a winning smile. Nobody wants to pay an Ice Queen for a drink.” The smug photographer snorted. He had been giving her a hard time since she had started the shooting.

 

“I’m gonna kick your ass, as soon as we are done.” She said through gritted teeth, posing the way she was asked. Her eyes landed on Tina and Dave on the side, who were fully aware she was close to blow it up and kick some sense into the idiot behind the camera.

 

“And we are done.” He pulled back from the camera, lightly clapping – mostly to himself – and moving towards the blonde, who had walked around the counter and taken the designer jacket off, handing it back to one of the girls walking by. “Maybe we can review your pictures in front of dinner, let’s say 7PM tonight?” He placed a hand on her shoulder, brushing his fingers on her exposed skin.

 

“You better get that off me or I’ll break your arm.” Quinn stopped Dave from coming forward, to take it from there. She could handle herself pretty fine.

 

“I like a girl who can fight back, maybe we should skip dinner.” He cupped her cheek with his palm, but as soon as he did, he found himself kissing the wooden counter with his arm twisted behind his back.

 

“Let me clarify that. I am not interested in any private meeting with you, so you better keep it in your pants and learn how to respect a girl who says no.” She shoved him more and then took a step back, earning few approving glares from the girls who had witnessed the scene. “Tina, maybe we can move it to my office?” She fixed her hair in a high ponytail, nodding to the brunette who just smiled and followed her upstairs.

 

Ten minutes and two bourbons later, the two women sat on the comfortable sofa in Quinn’s office, laughing over the very recent episode happened downstairs. Tina took a moment to study her longtime and re-found friend, who had caused so much anguish but also happiness to her best friend. Quinn was still breathtaking. It was a fact. She still remembered thinking that the first moment she had spotted her and the years had just enhanced a feature, that was probably never going away even in 30 years.

 

“Shall we start?” Quinn undid the first two buttons of her Oxford shirt, rolling the sleeves up to her elbows, exposing the inked mark on her right wrist, that still reminded her of a lost love and a promise she broke.

 

“Does she know you still have it?” Tina pointed to the tattoo. She knew it was familiar, but didn’t think they had still kept it in place, despite the different paths life had taken them through.

 

“Yes, of course. She has not removed hers, not yet.” Quinn traced the shape with her fingertip, sighing in deeply. “Is he a good guy?”

 

“He treats her right.” Tina nodded reassuringly. “She won’t wait forever, Quinn. Don’t you think she waited enough already?” She grabbed her notepad from her designer purse and started from a blank page.

 

“I know, Tina, but I cannot really waltz back into her life and expect to start from where we left things off. She has a right to ignore me and keep going with her life, even without me.” She rubbed her face with both palms, feeling the sweat drip along her back.

 

“I clearly remember you were a fighter, Quinn Fabray. Since when are you scared of failing? Look at yourself and your achievements. You are building a solid business from nothing and you can’t fight for the woman you still love?” Tina shook her head. “You were a coward back then, but mistakes are meant to happen so we can learn from them. I know you learnt your lesson, otherwise you wouldn’t have come to NY of all the places in the free world.”

 

“I guess you are right.” She sighed, rubbing her tattoo out of habit. “I need to make up for the missing years and the mess I made. I don’t think there’s anyone else for me, besides Rachel. No one but her.”

 

**RQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQ**

 

_When the doorbell rang, Rachel fought the urge to ignore it and just curl herself into a ball, crying her pain away. She was sobbing uncontrollably. She was hardly breathing; despite all the techniques she knew because of her vocal lessons. Her chest hurt for the pain of having her heart shattered by the boy that she loved. By the boy she had so firmly believed into._

_“Rachel, I know you are there. I saw Finn leave.” Quinn knocked on the door with more insistence. “I want to know if you are okay, please.”_

_Upon hearing this, the brunette slowly got back on her feet and stumbled toward the door. She could barely see for the tears in her eyes. She really wanted to crawl in her bed and sleep for days, hoping her heart would mend on its own. How could have she wasted so much time on someone like Finn? Someone who was just waiting for the right moment to take all of his anger out on her? Who did that to someone they claimed to love?_

_“Rachel, what happen-“ Quinn barely had time to brace herself against the door, when Rachel collapsed against her chest, soaking her t-shirt with fresh tears. “It’s gonna be okay, Rachel.” She whispered softly, holding the brunette up against her. Closing the door behind herself, she leaned down to scoop the brunette up in her arms and walk into the living room. She took a seat on the couch, cradling the girl against her as she cried her eyes out._

_“How could he? Why?” Rachel’s words were incoherent. They did not make sense to Quinn. But it was Finn’s behavior that did not make any sense to Rachel. How could he be so spiteful and hateful towards her? Because she wanted to wait? Because she was not putting out and he was not getting laid, like the other guys at McKinley? Even remembering his words was hurting her._

_“I don’t know, Rachel. But he is an idiot for hurting you.” Quinn whispered softly in her ear, pressing gentle kisses against her forehead. “Did he even dare to touch you? Cause I will kill him with my bare hands?” The blonde pulled away to take a look at the brunette’s face, searching for any sign of abuse._

_“No. No, he did not…” Rachel buried her face into the blonde’s neck, sighing loudly as the sobs subsided. She started shivering against the other girl, who threw a blanket around their frames._

_“Want to tell me what happened between you two?” Quinn rubbed soft circles against the girl’s back, who nuzzled more into her neck, seeking comfort from her warmth and secure grip._

_“We were supposed to have a date night here, taking advantage of my dads’ absence.” Rachel sighed softly, wiping her eyes with the sleeves of her sweatshirt. “He thought we’d take a step forward in our relationship. He thought we’d-“_

_“Have sex?” Quinn sighed and brushed the brunette’s hair slowly, giving her the comfort to go on or even stop. It did not matter to her. She just wanted to make Rachel feel better._

_“Yes. But…I didn’t feel ready. I didn’t think we should have done that and I told him. I told him I wanted to wait because I was not ready, because it is something that should happen when and how I see it fit happening.” Rachel pulled back to stare up at the blonde, who nodded softly. “He lost it. He started lashing out at me. He called me selfish and self-conceited, because I was not giving him what other guys get and even take from their girlfriends.  Because he could have had anyone and he chose to stick with me, but I was not giving him anything in return. I had never seen him so mad, Quinn.” She felt tears forming in her eyes, recalling the anger coming from Finn and her own fear._

_“If he thinks you owe him anything, he is very mistaken, Rachel. Sex is a choice that you make, no one else. If he can’t accept that, then it’s better if you part ways.” Quinn held her a little tighter. “He doesn’t deserve your pain.”_

_“I have no one, Quinn. He is right, he could have had anyone and he chose me. I am no one.” She sobbed against the girl’s neck, gripping the front of her shirt._

_“You have me, I promise you I won’t go anywhere.” Quinn whispered and just held her._

 

**RQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQ**

 

“Tina, hey!” Rachel hugged her best friend, holding on a little longer to better express her happiness and pride for her work achievements. “How does it feel to be one of the youngest and most read columnists for the NYT?” She squeezed her friend in another hug, kissing her cheek.

 

“Honestly? Fucking amazing!!!!” The brunette clapped her hands together and waved the waiter over, ordering a new round of tequila for the whole table. She had invited some of her college friends over, along with Rachel and her boyfriend, of course. “I feel like on top of the world!” She hollered and downed her own drink, stumbling a little before straightening herself.

 

“Did the party start without us?” A familiar husky voice came from behind Rachel, who looked over her shoulder to see Quinn and Dave walk up to their VIP table, handing the journalist a bouquet of red roses and a small wrapped gift.

 

“My favorite club owners!” Tina launched herself at the two friends, who held her weight with both arms and kissed her cheeks, at the same time. “People! Meet two of the most successful people under 30 in NYC and one of the most wanted bachelorette of the city, too.” She winked at the blonde, who rubbed the back of her head and looked away from Rachel’s gaze.

 

“I am not that famous, Tina. You are exaggerating.” Quinn took a seat on one of the leather couches, taking a tequila shot to drink.

 

“You have no idea how many letter we are receiving, Q. There are tons of men and women, out there, who want to meet you. Some even asked for your number.” Tina took a seat beside Mike, who rubbed her back slowly and nodded knowingly. “The photoshoot is just the first of many successful campaigns you two could do for your club, just think about it. It’s going to be great for your revenues.”

 

“Maybe, but we are not really into that. I’d rather leave these things to people who can handle it, like Rachel.” Quinn winked at the silent brunette, who nodded distractedly and played with the straw in her own glass. “How’s the show going? Any big nomination on the line?”

 

“The Tony’s awards should be writing down the list pretty soon, so I am waiting.” She finished the glass, looking around the crowded club. She couldn’t really hold Quinn’s penetrating eyes much longer, even if they were filled with honest and interest.

 

“I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. I should also find some time to come see you, I read amazing reviews of your show.” She smiled and finished her own drink, thanking the waitress who took the glass away from her.

 

“You should, even if there are better shows out there. I could fetch you some ticket, whenever you want and for whomever you want to bring along.” Rachel looked up at the blonde. “Maybe for Dave or some other friend or girlfriend?”

 

“I am not seeing anyone, Rach and I’d gladly take a couple of tickets, only if you give me a backstage tour as well.” She winked at the brunette, before being dragged to the bar by Dave. “Excuse me, best friend’s duties.” She called out over her shoulder, sending the brunette one last glare.

 

Twenty minutes later, Rachel had let Tina and a couple of her friends drag her onto the dance floor, when they were playing Tina’s favorite remixed song – whose title she couldn’t even remember. She had her arms up in the air, almost to touch the roof, following the upbeat rhythm and swaying her hips along with her friends, who were having a good time. The music was like freedom. She was clearing her mind out of the million thoughts chasing each other: Jesse, Broadway and Quinn, always Quinn. Since she had dropped back into her life, it seems both her mind and heart were not giving her a break with memories of their past haunting her dreams and familiar feelings resurfacing, both happy and sad ones.

 

“Hey luscious…” A pair of unfamiliar hands landed on her moving hips, making her stop moving so she could see whom they belonged to.

 

“Get your hands off me.” Rachel pulled back from the guy, trying to make some room among the several dancers surrounding her. Turning around, she found herself staring up at an average looking guy, wearing a button up shirt that was obviously damp with his sweat and the overall humidity of the room.

 

“Oh, playing hard to get? I like them feisty.” He took a step closer, trying to bring her back into his arms but she just turned around and walked away, towards their table, hoping he got the message to leave her alone.

 

She was pushing through the crowd, eager to get to the VIP area so she could get back into the safety of her friends’ circle when someone grabbed onto her wrist, spinning her around and backing her against the club wall, away from the dance floor. The guy had one hand against the wall and the other held both her wrists behind her back, blocking her from going anywhere.

 

“Don’t be a bitch, I was talking to you.” He slurred, smirking as he took in her appearance. Her dress was tight in the right places and it just spurred him on.

 

“Let me go, I’ll call security.” Rachel tried to push back, but he was stronger and kept her right in place, with her back against the wall and his body inching closer. She could smell the alcohol and who knows what else on his breath. Shouting was going to be helpless, given the loud music, so what else could she do?

 

“I want to see you try.” He tightened the grip around her wrists, making her wince in pain. His face moved closer to kiss her, but Rachel just turned away from him so his lips landed on her cheek, sloppily dropping kisses on her skin and up to her ear. “We should get out of here. Just me and you.” He nudged her off the wall, towards the emergency exit just behind them.

 

“Let me go.” Rachel stomped on his foot with her heel, making him loosen his grip enough for her to push against his chest and get away, but he recovered quickly enough to grab her from behind and drag her back towards the exit.

 

“Hey, get off!” Rachel couldn’t be more relieved to see a familiar blonde come into her view. “You heard me, asshole?” She stepped forward and grabbed onto Rachel’s hand, using the other to swing back and punch the guy straight into the face. The force of the hit sent the guy back and the brunette stumbling forward, into the blonde, who put herself protectively between them.

 

“Quinn, is everything okay?” Dave hovered behind the blonde, who was unclenching her fist. It hurt like hell, but it was worth it.

 

“This sleazy ass assaulted Rachel, don’t let him leave and I’ll get security here.” Quinn turned to the brunette and led her upstairs into the VIP area, into Tina’s arms before reaching out to the bouncers and pointing to the hallway where they had just come from, summarizing the situation.

 

“Rach…Rachel, did he hurt you?” Quinn dropped on her knees before the brunette, who was sobbing slowly and looking down at her feet. “Star, I need to know if he hurt you. We need to go to the hospital and have them check you out.”

 

“He…no he did not hurt me.” Rachel shook her head and rubbed her sore wrists, seeing a bruise forming on her skin where he had held her.

 

“I’ll kill him.” The blonde went to stand up and go after the jerk, but the singer held her in place with a hand on her arm. “He needs to learn his lesson. Do you want to report the incident? We can go down to a police station and charge him for what he tried to do.”

 

“Can you just take me home? I want to go home.” Rachel looked up at her with pleading eyes, that Quinn couldn’t really fight or deny her any wish to go back to the safety of her house. She just wanted to get away from there and forget about it.

 

“Of course, I’ll take you home.” The blonde slipped her arm around her waist, holding her up and against her as they made their way toward the main exit of the club, hoping not to run into some other problem. Stepping outside, Quinn pulled the brunette’s head into her, not to let her see the guy being taken away, beaten up and bloody, while Dave and the bouncers watched him go, wiping their hands not so discretely behind their backs.

 

Standing on the sidewalk, Quinn kept her solid grip on the brunette, who was now gripping the front of her shirt – under her light jacket – and had her face buried into the nape of her neck, breathing slowly and wiping her tears angrily, with the back of her hand. Quinn looked around in search of a cab, muttering under her breath and swearing towards all the drivers in NY, that were anywhere but there.

 

“Can we go to your place? I don’t want to face Jesse, nor I think I can.” Rachel looked up at her ex, who nodded and pressed a gentle kiss against her cold forehead, pulling her a little closer. “I am sorry, I am such a mess for something that did not even happen. I can only imagine-“

 

“Hey, don’t say that. You are entitled to feel the way you are feeling, for how long you need it. You should not feel guilty, he is the one who did the wrong thing here…a guy like him doesn’t deserve you beating yourself up for how you feel, nor you should blame it on yourself.” Quinn slipped her jacket off and draped it over Rachel’s slouched shoulders, pulling it close by its collar before cupping her stained cheeks with her palms. “I wish I had come sooner, if I had known…” She looked down at the bruised wrists, sighing to herself.

 

“If you hadn’t found me, who knows what we’d be dealing with, by now. Thanks for saving me, Quinn.” Rachel stepped closer and rested her forehead against the blonde’s shoulder, falling into a familiar embrace that she had wanted to forget for so long, but she craved it in that specific moment. She needed that safety, more than anything. She needed Quinn to make it better.

 

“Anytime, star” Quinn’s arms circled the back of her head and her waist, holding her tightly against her front. Her own chin dropped against the top of her head, resting it there as she tried to comfort the shaken brunette as much as she could.

 

**RQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQ**

 

_Being in Glee was probably the worst moment of her school day, since she and Finn had broken up. Seeing him there, joking around with Puck like nothing had happened and ignoring her felt like a stab in the gut. She could only try and focus on the theme of the day, but not even solos felt good. She couldn’t help but stealing glances at the guy who had filled her high school fantasies, since she had walked into McKinley and seen him standing by the locker, with his letterman jacket on._

_They had their ups and downs. They had their moments of uncertainty and fears but, in the end, they had always found their way back to each other. Was it really over? Over something so trivial like sex? She couldn’t believe that the guy she had loved for so long, could be so shallow. So ready to throw everything out of the window, without a second thought. Maybe, if she had talked to him…maybe if she compromised. She was so absorbed in her thoughts, that she didn’t even realize she was standing in the empty hallway, staring at the cat calendar in her locker._

_“Rachel?” A soft voice from behind her startled her, making her close the locker door on her hand, that was still holding onto the cat calendar. “Oh gosh, are you okay?” Quinn took her reddened hand, inspecting it gently._

_“You…you just took me by surprise, Quinn.” Rachel shivered lightly, at the feeling of the girl’s warm breath brush over her red knuckles._

_“I wanted to offer you a ride home. Is your Dad picking you up?” Quinn released her hand and stood back straight, staring at the brunette before her._

_“No, Dad and Daddy are in Columbus for business. I was going to walk home and spend the rest of the night with takeout and musical movies.” Rachel retrieved her books from the locker behind her, slipping them inside her bag before draping it over her shoulder._

_“Nonsense, you can sleep over. My mom would love to have you for dinner.” The blonde fell in step with her, walking her down the empty hallway. “How…how are you holding up? Did you talk to him?”_

_“No, he is ignoring me. It’s like I never existed.” The brunette shook her head in disappointment. “It’s not like I didn’t deserve it, I should have been more understanding of his needs.”_

_“Hey, don’t say that. If he can’t wait for you, then he doesn’t deserve you.” The blonde opened the door for the petite girl, who nodded in a thankful way._

_“Easy for you to say it, Quinn. You are a very pretty girl and any guy would get in line to date you.” Rachel sighed deeply, kicking a rock with the toe of her shoe. “I am just a loser, Finn was the only guy that really paid attention to me and I still wonder why.”_

_“Because you are special, Rachel. Don’t throw yourself under a bus because of a break-up. Finn was your first love, but he doesn’t have to be the last. You will be off to college, next year, and New York will have plenty of guys and girls interested in dating you. Heck, even Lima could offer you better alternatives, if you only looked closer.” Quinn opened the passenger door for her, letting her have a seat in her car, before going around it to slip in the driver seat._

_“You don’t know Lima like I do, Quinn. Popular and pretty boys don’t date people like me.” Rachel sighed and fell back against the seat, looking out of the window._

_“Who says I am talking about guys?” Quinn casted her a quick glance, trying to read the brunette’s expression despite keeping her eyes on the road._

_“No girl would choose me, Quinn. I just can’t wait to leave this town already…”Rachel dropped her forehead against the cold glass, sighing deeply and failing to see Quinn’s face drop in equal disappointment._

 

**RQRQRQRQRQRQRQRQ**

 

When Rachel woke up, she found herself in an unfamiliar bed and house, albeit surrounded by a scent and warmth that she knew very well. A pale arm was draped over her waist, curled slightly to keep her from moving too far away from the sleeping body it was attached to. Quinn lied on top of the covers, on her side, with one hand under her head and the other wrapped around her wrist, in a gentle grip that did not cause her any pain nor discomfort.

 

Rachel knew they were back into a dangerous zone, between friendship and something more, that was not going to lead to anything good. She was with someone else and Quinn had made her choice years ago, leaving her behind, without asking her. She was with someone else, whom she thought of being in love with. She was with someone else, who was waiting for her, at home, but she hadn’t bothered to call or text. She was with someone else, who hadn’t held her for the whole night, protecting her from her own dreams (or nightmares).

 

“Hey…” Quinn’s voice was so raspy and thick first in the morning. “I am sorry for invading your space, but you were having nightmares and I remembered you liked to be held, when you had them.” She went to pull back, to roll on her back and off the bed, but Rachel kept her in place, as she turned on her other side to face her.

 

“I am glad you did. I don’t recall any nightmare and I’m happy about it, after what happened.” Rachel’s fingers trailed up the girl’s forearm, causing some goosebumps to appear along the way, before wrapping her fingers around the fabric of her night shirt.

 

“Your bruises look a bit better, but we should still rub some Aloe cream over it.” She leaned down to kiss her wrists ever so softly, looking up into Rachel’s chocolate orbs as she did so. “No one should touch a woman like that, ever.” She sighed against the offended skin, placing another kiss there before settling back onto her pillow. She fought the urge to just trail her lips along the girl’s arm and even upwards, to claim her pouty lips in a kiss they couldn’t afford. Not yet.

 

“Thanks for taking care of me, I really mean it.” Rachel cupped the side of her face, brushing her thumb along her jawline. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to thank you enough for it.”

 

“You don’t have to thank me, Rachel. I would still die for you, if it meant keeping you safe.” Quinn smiled sincerely and leaned forward, kissing the brunette on her exposed forehead. “I am going to make some breakfast, while you attend to your many calls and texts. The phone hasn’t stopped ringing, since I plugged in with my charger.”

 

“Oh damn it. 15 missed calls and 30 texts.” Rachel reached on the bedside table for it, seeing many missed items from both Jesse and her manager. She shot a quick text to her boyfriend, reassuring him about her wellbeing before dialing her manager’s number, who had filled her inbox with emails and attachments that she had yet to download.

 

‘Cassandra, hey. What’s up?’ she reclined back against the pillows, pulling the covers up to her chin.

 

‘Don’t play coy, Berry. Who is the hot blondie you were smooching with, last night?’

 

‘What blondie? What the hell are you talking about?’ Rachel sat up in bed, running a hand through her messy hair.

 

‘Check my emails quickly and you’ll understand what I mean. Didn’t know you did swing that way, Berry. It seems I may be your type as well…’ Cassandra chuckled on the other side, hearing the gasps of surprise on the other side of the phone.

 

‘They are twisting things…she…she was just comforting me, after a sleazy asshole tried to rape me!’ she stood up, pacing back and forth in front of the window. Damn paparazzi.

 

‘Rape you? Are you okay? Do I need to move some string and get the asshole a life sentence? I’ll do it.’ Cassandra was not kidding. She knew people and would have done it for a client like Rachel.

 

‘He didn’t go too far, because Quinn rescued me. She was just being a good friend…’ Rachel knew Cassandra had detected her lie. They were not just friends. She knew it. Quinn knew it. And so did Cassandra.

 

‘Sure, Berry. I know that look and even if you are playing the “friends” card, you two fucked. Am I right? I believe you two were a thing for a long time and now she’s back in your life. We need to do some damage control, but I need to know more about you two. Meet me at lunch in my office, we can go through our strategy while we eat.’

 

‘Alright. We can discuss then, what do we do now? Do we need to release a statement or something?’ Rachel walked out of the bedroom, to check where Quinn was. She didn’t want to drag her into her public life, unless strictly necessary. ‘Do I need to bring Quinn along?’

 

‘No need to. I’ll handle it, just make sure that guy of yours doesn’t do more damage, with his own PR team. No one wants a pansy as a boyfriend. Have fun with the sordid affair, Berry.’ With that said, Cassandra hung up.

 

“Where are you taking me?” Quinn leaned against the kitchen counter, sipping from her cup of coffee. She had cooked a tall pile of vegan pancakes, topped with fresh fruit, and was just waiting for the brunette to dive in.

 

“Nowhere, my publicist is going to handle it for us.” Rachel sighed and walked up to the blonde, showing her the pics and the magazine shots, from the previous night. “I am sorry I am dragging you into this mud. I hate it.”

 

“Oh wow, never thought I’d be on a magazine cover for being ‘the blonde hottie wrecking the Broadway sweethearts’ love story’. Your fans are going to throw eggs my way, if I ever show up at one of your shows.” Quinn chuckled softly.

 

“You are not mad?” Rachel leaned across from Quinn, who shrugged her shoulders.

 

“I know how these things go, Rach. You are famous and in the spotlight. I am sure you dealt with pregnancy rumors, breakups and all that jazz already. This low gossip isn’t going to make me run.” The blonde stepped closer to the brunette and cupped her cheek with her palm. “I won’t leave anymore, unless you’ll want me to.” She looked down into her chocolate orbs, hoping Rachel believed her to keep her promise.


End file.
